Northampton restaurant say they don't expect 'dine and dash' customers to pay them
Saffron Director Nahim wants to raise awareness after four men left without paying their almost £200 bill.
Last updated 13th Aug 2025
An Indian restaurant in Northampton say they don't expect a group who left without paying their bill to cough up.
On a quiet Monday at the start of the month, the four entered Saffron on Castilian Street off St Giles Street, and left without paying.
The businesses shared CCTV of the incident on the 4th August, which has reached 60 million views.
Director Nahim Islam says in 25 years in business he doesn't remember it happening. But since the video has gone viral, others say they've also been hit:
"We've had comments saying, Gold St's been hit, Wellingborough Road's been hit, Kettering Road, some of the restaurants have been done for. People make excuses like going out for a quick cigarette and they just disappear into thin air."
Nahim says it's been a difficult trading period this summer as well due to the weather:
"So Indian restaurants and the hot food doesn't go together and it's been extremely hot, this summer, so business has been quiet as it as it normally is in the summer, but it's been extra quiet this year because of the hot weather."
He says he doesn't expect them to pay, and doesn't want them to get in trouble, but would like a written apology.
Nahim says it's more about raising awareness:
"I wanted to warn my staff, you know, be vigilant. We need to do more staff training. We need to put up more CCTV cameras and just be alert. £200 is a lot for our family run business and you know, most probably a lot of independent restaurants and cafes. So we just want to warn them."
The experience has left him gobsmacked and disheartened.
Northamptonshire Police tell us they are investigating the incident as theft and ask anyone with information to phone 101, quoting incident number 25000457718.
Information can also be shared anonymously via Crimestoppers.